“Why is it important that this Southern BLACK woman used the South as the canvas for her West African journey through womanhood? Because when we were chained and shipped, it wasn’t just our stolen bodies that traveled to this stolen land, but our gods traveled with us. The Orisha (gods and spirits) of Ifa (the traditional Yoruba religion) and Vodun (the traditional Dahomey religion) have been on this journey with Afro-Americans (Africans of the Americas) for its entirety. Whatever we faced, they faced it too and it was their strength that kept us going no matter where we were delivered; whether it be Puerto Rico (Santeria), Brazil (Condomble), Haiti (Vodou), or right here in your Big Mamma’s Alabama kitchen (*insert any given Black church that probably has a “fix the roof” fund*).

“Who are these gods and wtf do they have to do with Beyonce’s damn-good Lemonade??” you ask. Thanks for being impatient, let me get to the juice”